This invention relates to a clothed fiber processing roll which has on its surface a helically extending sawtooth wire provided with a base rib seated in a pre-machined helical groove of the roll, such as the licker-in of a carding machine.
In a known sawtooth roll of the above-outlined type the sawtooth clothing extends along the entire axial length of the roll in a single or multiple helix. The clothing wires are inserted into grooves that are pre-machined into the surface of the roll. The pitch of the clothing wires is determined by the disposition of the grooves and the number of the wires. In such a construction an intermediate helical space is obtained between adjoining turns. Conventionally, the grooves have an upwardly open, rectangular cross section, and the clothing wire has a base rib which too, is of rectangular cross section. During the mounting operation the base rib of the clothing wire is inserted into the groove and thereafter a wheel or similar structure is introduced into the channel-like intermediate spaces between adjoining clothing wires. The wheel laterally exerts a pressure on the roll surface (that is, on the roll webs defined between axially adjoining grooves or groove turns), whereby the webs are laterally pressed against the inserted base rib, resulting in an immobilization of the clothing wire in the groove.
It is a disadvantage of the prior art constructions as outlined above that the provision of grooves into the roll face is technologically complex. It is further a disadvantage that the groove cutting tool has to penetrate into the grooves slowly along the entire width of the roll which adversely affects a removal of chips. For this reason the cutting tool flares towards its end which, in turn, results in a narrow tool neck prone to breakage. It is a further disadvantage that the grooves have to be "rolled shut" for immobilizing the base rib of the clothing wire, resulting in a significant deformation of the cylinder surface. In case of a wire replacement, before a new clothing wire can be inserted into the rectangular groove, the groove has to be reopened (re-cut) which is time-consuming and involves further removal of material. Repeated material removal renders the roll useless.